Primary battery.



R. V. HEUSER. PRMARY BATTERYA APPLIoATloN FILED sBPTflo, 1910.

Lm 5973@D Patented Jan. 23; 1912.

Wbb/www H HHH ,sTATEs PATENT onirica.'

RALPH v. HEUSER, oFiWAT'ERBURY, coNNncTIcUr, AssIeNon To THE nonssnnn a HASSTLEJHER CHEMICAL CO., OF PERTH MBOY, NEW JERSEY, 'A CORPORATION OIE'- NEW YORK.

To all whom 'it may concern: j

Be it known that I, RALPH V. HEUSER, a citizen of Switzerland, and resident of Vaterbury, in the county of New Have-n and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in, Primary Batteries, of which the following is a specitication. y

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in primary batteries, and par f ticularly to that class of cell known as the De Lalande battery. Thistype of battery usually comprises. an anode consisting of amalgamated zinc, a cathode consisting of copper oxid anda solution ofcaustic soda or potash in water as an electrolyte, whreas I use in my improved cell metallic so ium in connection with copper7 oXid or copper peroxidor combination of the two and a caustic soda solution.

It is the object of my invention to secure a high electromotive force available at the poles of the cell, and to produce the caustic soda spontaneously at the expense .of the sodium as it is consumed when the cell -is in operation:- to employ the sodium in a convenient form so that it can be easily replaced from time to time as occasion may require; to produce a battery which will be cheap to operate in comparison with the4 work performed, and further to produce a cell the used 'cathodes of which will not be impregnated with zinc compounds. In this cell not only the sodlum 1s renewed when consumed but also part ofthe electrolyte is replaced, by means of an equal volume oi" 'pure water, in which manner the electrolyte can be maintained indefinitely.

lVith these and other objects in. view the invention consists in the construction andV lSli'eciicmaion of Letters Patent.

'PIMARY BATTERY.

Patented Jan. 23,1912.

application med september 1o, 1910. serial No. 581,439.

Throughout this vspecification I refer,lforv the sake of clearness, to metallic sodium,

alloys pf same and sodium hydroxid, but desire 1t to beunderstood thatalso other elements and compounds may be used 1which i belong into the groups of alkali metals or compounds of same. Since metallic sodium is' decomposed by water and aqueous solutions of caustic soda itl cannot be brought directly into contact with an electrolyte. If, however, metallic sodium is alloyed with other metals, `for in-` stance zinc, lead or-.especially mercury, it

'is possiblertorcheck the action' of a moder-- ately st-rong solution of hydroxid 1.19011 it,- to such an extentvthat the. consumption' of sodium is retarded during idle periods of the battery. Improved results are obtained with batteries of this sort lay-first allowing the mercury to unite with the sodium',thef u formed would y.then be' brought into contact with' .thegelectrolyte amalgam thus and after the sodium has beendischarged, the ymercury isreturned into the amalgamation chamber fit for another cycle" of opera-v ings forming a part ofl this specification, and

tion. In this way a comparatively small 'quantity of mercury 1s required to bring lntd action large amounts of sodium and the expenses of operating a cell of this kind are only 'governedby the consumption of sodium and the exchange of the cathodes for new'ones. If it should, however, be attempted ,to vunite the sodium with the mercury in the usual ,mannen that is by submerging clean pieces ,of sodium in a mercury bath, the violencev of the .reaction would be so great' that the whole apparatus would be liable to destruction. It is therefore` an essential part of my invention to render this process of amalgamation entirely safe and practicable'.

Referringin detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings 4 rep resents astick of metal sodium arranged within the battery as in operation. This sodium stick ma'y be produced by forcing the plastic metal thrfo'ugh a die and tlien cutting up the rod thus obtained into suitable lengths. The-surface of the lower end por-l tion o` the rodisyiiurther cut as 'shown at. 4a) to insure a prompt action tluerenrof.thev

" rods 21--21 which are insulativelysecured fluid surrounding the same.

5 represents ajtube of' copper l or other metal of proper length-and provid d with holes 6 in its wall. The vbottom en 'of the tube is also provided with a series of holes or openings? through which communication' is had for la'thin layerof mercury 8 from the tube 5 into the lower end of a surrounding cylindricalvessel 9 formed of glass, porcelain or metal (as used inI present instance).- Tliis vessel is also'providedwith openings 10 in its lower end to kallow the mercury 8 to passin from the Vouter cup 11. y'Ihe'outer portion of the cup is covered by a perforated disk 12 that is threaded on its outer edgeto engage the inner threaded wall of the cup and threaded on, the inner wall to be en gaged by thel threaded end portion of the vessel Q before, mentioned. This cup thusy 1 forms a bottom vand support forA the several1 connected parts and likewise to receive and contain the mercury. A corrugated 'cylinder 13 made of thin sheet copper is placed on the cap. 12 and 4serves as an additionto the -positive electrode surface by reason of. a retention of the mercury which'is upliftedjwlen cell is in operation. As `for instance my eX periments show that an amalgamated sheet of metal inicontact with the solution of metallic sodium in mercury 'acts like the` mercury itself. In other words it aiords a means to'eztgend -the effective mercury'surface in a ve cal direction in which mannen the opposite electrodes can be more closely.

approached and thereby the internal resi'st' ance diminished. The tube 5 is held in place within the vessel 9 by being supported on the l 4ing've'ssel 9.' /Both the tube 5 and vessel 9 are inclosed at ,the top ends by a cover 15 which is preferably threadably attached'. A

binding post 16 is secured to the side of the vessel 9 for the attachment of a feed wire lnot shown. The tube vessel, cup, and corrugated cylinder are thus united and constitute one pole of the battery and arey insulatively supported from the `cover 17 by a porcelain collar 18 through which the cylindrical Vessel extends and against which an annular rib 19 of said vessel rests as shown in Fig. 1.

The cover 17A further seryes toi'nclose the 1 battery jar 2 0 and to support the opposite or to cover the disk 12 to the level o where it contacts with the electrolyte contained within the j i. The ynegative pole of the ybattery supportedffromtheouter portions of the coveI'-, 2010i" the jar through the medium ofhanger tothe sa'id cover bysuitable porcelain washers and nuts 22 'and23 respectively. An annular sheet metal vplate 24 is punched, and placed against the head on lower end ofrods 21 for the purpose of supporting a cylindrical oxid of copper electrode 2 5. A similar plate 26 is arranged upon the Y:upper part of. the rods and is clamped down upon the negative electrode by nuts 27 threadably attached to the said rods 21 for the attachment of a second iield wire, not shown.r`

' A removable rubber stopper 29 serves to close a filling hole in cover 17, by means of which partof'the solution may be pipetted outJ andaexchanged for water as occasion requires. y f

30 is a float preferably made of stained glass by blowing, having such a ratio of Weight vto volume that it begins to risefjas soon as the density of the liquid displaced `attains a certain density, normally the float-r Will be'seen at the bottom of the j ar. i 3,

In practice the battery would be charged as ollows:-The vessel 9 together with-the inner tube, cover, and negative element'are lifted outof thejar, and dry pure mercury is then p oured into the cup 11 until vit covers the' holes\31in disk.' The vessel and. ,tube 5 are'next iille'dto the level a as shownfrom their' top, with hydrocarbon in. a mannerto. cause `the'mercury in bottom' to rise. to` level c. The cover with its attachedv parts is then l set in place'in the jar andthe electrodes "suba merged in, the caustic. soda solution-32, calls- ;y

ing vthemercury in the cylindricalrfvessel to;

become depressed' and torcedfdownwardlyj.

in the outer part of cup to the lowerfle'ver Sd, y

Fig. 1. `The stick of sodium '4 ma next bef placed in the tube las shown, 'w ereupon amalgamation will set up immediately and sodium amalgam formed whichhavingja.

will rise to the outer and Vhighest level occu?4 pied by the mercury level a. This will cause a steady fiow of amalgam to penetrate'the holes 31 and come in contact with the electrol te 32, thus causing the cell tol att-ain its wor :ing potential.l

11o density considerably smaller than mercury,

Having thus described myinvention what.l

I claim and 4desire ent is e 1 'In a battery, a supportlng structure to secure by LettersPatfor an electrode comprising a perforated copper tube and a vessel in which thevtube' is contained, the vessel having openings therein through which mercury may be in; troduced, sodium withinl said tube, a filling of mercury and oil .within the said vessel and tube and a complementary electrode.

2. In a battery the combination of a negative electrode with a vessel, of a cup forming a bottom therefor, a perforated disk for covering the outer part of the cup surrounding the vessel, a tube Within the vessel and provided With openings therethrough, a piece of sodium -Within the tube and forining the positive electrode, and a filling of4 mercury Within thevessel tube and cup.

3. The combination with va jar and cover, oi suspending rods attached to the cover,

upper and lower annular plates attached to.

the rods, a cylindrical electrode intermediate the said plates, and a positive element comprising sodium and mercury, suitable vessels for containing the sodium and mercury, which are submerged Within a'proper electrolyte.

4. `In a battery the combination With a negative' element of a vertically disposed perforated copper tube, a stick of sodium contained therein, the sodium forming the positive electrode, a cylindrical vessel surrounding the tube, a cup attached to the end of the vessel and forming a bottom for the same and tube, a filling of mercury and oil within the tube, vessel and cup, and

, means for supporting said parts Within a battery jar.

5. A battery electrode comprising an elongated piece of sodium, in combination with a vertically disposed copper tube for supporting the sodium upon its end, a vessel in which the tube and sodium are contained and having openings therein through which mercury is introduced to the vessel and tube, and a lling ot mercury Within the said vessel and tube.

6.- In a battery the combination of a negative elect-rode With a vessel, of a cup forming a` bottom for the end thereof, a perforated disk for covering the outer. part of the cup surrounding the vessel, a tube With-4 in the.vessel and provided With openings therethrough, a piece of sodium within the tube and Storming the positive electrode, a

filling of mercury Within the vessel, tube and cup, a corrugated sheet of copper also supported upon the cup and surrounding the vessel.

7. The combination With a .jar and cover o't' suspending rods attached to the cover,

upper and lower annularVV plates attachedl to the rods, a cylindrical negative electrode intermediate the said plates, and a positive element formed of sodium and mercury, a vessel Within the cylindrical electrode for containing the sodium and an electrolyte in which -'the said' parts are submerged.

8, In a battery the combination with a I cylindrical negative element, of a support'- ing structure for a positive element Within .tube and communicating the negative element and comprising a. per forat'ed copper tube, a stick of sodium contained therein, a cylindrical vessel inclosing the tube, a cover for tube and vessel, a niercury chamber surroundng the vessel and t erewith, a fllin of mercury within the chamber, vessel an tube, and means for supporting said parts within a battery jar.

9. In a batter the combination with a negative electro e of a 'vessel supported within a battery jar cover, an annular perforated disk attached to the lower end portion of the'vessel, a cup supported and inclosed by the disk, a metal tube within the the tube and forming the positive electrode,

.and mercury and 011 surrounding the so dium.

1 0. In a battery the combination with a negative electrode ofv a vessel supported within a battery jar cover and extended above and below the same, a perforated tube Within the vessel and spaced4 from the side walls thereof, a cup surroundingr the vessel and communicating with the same and tube, a filling of mercury within the tube, vessel and cup and sodium and forming the positive electrode contained Within the said parts.

ll. In a battery the combination With a jar 'and cover and an electrolyte contained therein, otra cylindrical vessel insulatively supported Within a hole of the cover, a perforated tube within the vessel, sodium Within the tube and forming the positive electrode, mercury within the tube and vessel, a copper sheet surrounding the vesseland supported thereby, and a negative electrode surrounding the said vessel and parts contained therein and also submerged Within the electrolyte.

12. In a battery the. combination with a negative electrode of a positive electrode, an electrolytesurrounding the same, a per forated vessel Within the electrolyte and containing the' positive electrode, a filling of hydrocarbon YWithin the vessel, 'and a layer of mercury contacting with said positive electrode intermediate the hydrocarbon and electrolyte.

Signed at Waterbury in thecounty 'of New Haven and State of Connecticut this 6th day of September A. D., 1910. 

